Wire-stretcher.



J. R. WABE.

WIRE STRETCHER.

PPLIGATION FILED SBPT.26,1907.

Snam/WQ@ view of the stretcher showing 'entren erarns y rafranjr onirica.

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vSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patenten oet. 2o, race.

Application tiled September 26, 1907. Serial No. 394,733.

To all fwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES R. VADE, a citizen or' the United States, residing at Milllield, in the county of Athens and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in `Wire-Stretchers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in wire stretchers.

The object of the invention is to provide a` w1re stretcher' which will be simple, strong In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of the `wire stretcher, showing the same in position for use; Fig. 2 is a plan the operating lever in section; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken immediately in front of the pawls and operating lever; and-Fig. 4 is a side view of the stretcher showing a modified form of operating lever.

Referring more particularly to thevdrawings, 1 denotes a pair of rack bars, which arearranged parallel with each other and are integrally connected together at their oppositerends. The teeth of the rack bars are'formedV on the outer edges thereof and project outwardly therefrom. The forward end of the bars 1 are connected together by an integrally formed neck, 2, in which is arranged a longitudinally disposed rectangular passage, 3, through which. is adapted 'to work a rectangular stretchlng bar, 4, said bar being adapted to slide between the parallel rack bars, which, to ether with the neck, 2, Serve to hold and gui e said stretching bar inan operative position.

, The inner end of the stretching bar L1 1s bifurcated or provided with rearwardlyprospaced apart and jecting apertured attaching ears or lugs, 6,

between which is pivotally connected the lower slotted end, 7, of an operating lever, 8,

0n the upper or outer end of which is formed a handle, 9, by means of which the lever is rocked back and forth on its pivoted connection with the apertured stretching bar. through the slotted end, 7, of the lever and in said slotted end 7 adjacent to each toothed edge of the rack bars is pivotallymount'e'd an operating pawl, 10, one end of which is lugs, 6, of the extended rearwardly to formv a handle, 12,v means of which the pawls: 10 are disenf. f

by gaged from the teeth of the rack bar. The

awls 10 -are normally held in engagement with the teeth of the rack-bars by a coiled spring, 13, having 'a pair of arms 13 which project laterally from the side of the stretcher, and one of said arms pvotally connected with one of the pawls, 10,l and the other arm is pivotally connected with ythe other pawl, l0, between the pivotal connection of said pawls and their handles. To

the rear end of the rack bars is connected an anchor chain 14, by means of which said ends of the rack bars are securely connected to-a post, tree or other ri 'd support.'

.To the forward end o is connected'a suitable wire clamp or grip, 15, which is adapted to be quickly and lirmly engaged with the wire to bestretched. The

The rack bars. 1 project.

means of `the stretching b ar l clamp 15 is here shown as consisting of a base plate, 16, having forniedtherein a longitudinally disposed-guide slot, 17, and on its inner end is formed a guide eye, 18. On the outer end of the base plate, 16, adjacent to one edge of the same is formed a laterally projecting wire clampingl plate, 19, with which is adapted to be engaged a cam-.shaped wire gri 20, which is eccentrically mounted on the onward end-of the plate, as shown and is adapted to coact with the plate, 19,

'to lirmly clamp and grip the -wire to be stretched. The cam grip 20 is provided with.

an integrally forme 'operatingfhandla 21, to the free end of which is pivotally' connected the inner end of an operating bar, 22, the opposite end of nected to a bolt 23, which is slidably'mounted in the slot, 17, of the base plate, and to said bolt is pivotally connected one end 'of a loop-shaped link, which is loosely connected to the forward end ofthe stretching bar, whereby when the latter is o erated -to stretch the wire, the eccentrical y mounted cam-shaped wire grip which is pivotally con- 24, the opposite end of.

ses

will be drawn down into iirm engagement with the wire to clamp the same against the plate; 19.

In Fig. i ot' the drawing is shown a slightly inodiiied form o't operating lever,

\ the chimp or wire grip 15 is engaged with the wire to he stretched, the stretching bar having been previously drawn out from .hetween the 'ruck bars to its extended position. The operating lever is now rocked backwardly and'forwardly on its pivotal Connection with the inner end oi the stretching bur, thereby engaging first one and then the other of the piwls with the teeth on the oposite @dees ofthe rack bars thus disiwino' b 7 D the stretching bar inwardly in a. 'step-hy step movement, thereby stretehii'ngr the wire to the desiredl extent and holding the sumo while being stapled or otherwise secured to the fence post.

Having thus fully described my invention, what claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Pn'tenhis: y A wire stretcher comprising a pair oit spaced apart parallel toothed here with an integral neck recessed in their forward ends and provided with an opening therein., a stretching bar slidably movable 1n said opening of the neck and in the space' between the hars, said stretching bar having' epertured eers its rear end which extend outwardly beyond the space of the bers, e slotted lever interposed between the toothed bars and apertured ears of the stretching bar, a pivot holt inserted througlfi seid apertured ears, and through the lever and also through the space between the hars, so as to ermit of .the stretching ber having lono'itu inal and vertieel play in the space o? the toothed bars, pawls having operating arms arrangedabove and below the toothed bars and pivoted to the lever, said pewls being adapted to alternately engage the teeth of the bars,- when operated by the lever, :t spring' havingf u eentrelooil und provided with a pair of oppositely disposed projecting; arms which extend above and below the toothed bars, and said arms having their terminals pi"- oted to the operating arms of said pawls, substantially asspeeiiied. f

in testimony whereof I'hzive hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES R. WADE. 

